


Mine for the Taking

by tobiohdamn



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-17
Updated: 2015-11-17
Packaged: 2018-05-02 01:42:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5229104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tobiohdamn/pseuds/tobiohdamn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>RWBY AU in which Neo is a high class, royal duchess, and Yang is a rowdy delinquent. It all started with the spilled drink, the stained dress skirts, perhaps crashing the party in the first place. Little did she know, Neo would never let it go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How it all began, or would begin

_And the winner is…_

Yang kept her gaze steady on the flood of people and royals that marched into the rented hall while she crouched at the side of the building itself. Her right shoulder brushed the hard, cold brick of it's exterior as she searched the crowd. There had to be a place she could slip in. If at least one person moved and made an opening, she could easily slide her way through without having to show invitation.

The patrol that normally scoured the streets were more than likely attending the masquerade as well. It was just the kind of opportunity that a young hooligan like Yang would jump at the chance to take, and if she didn't take it, well then, who would? She wasn't about to let good fortune be taken away from her by someone else who surely wouldn't appreciate as much as she would. Besides, back at home she had a little sister to take care of. What would she think if the blonde dame came back with nothing to feed them for the next few weeks? Yang was the head of the household now, ever since their mother and father had ran off. To lead a new life Yang thought, without two rowdy children as a distraction that could only hold them back.

She had to admit, she did in fact hold a bit of resentment toward their parents, but at this point there was no time to feel sorry for the circumstances they were settled with. Right now was all that mattered — making a life for Ruby and herself was all that mattered. A shift in the ocean of persons caused her nerves to bunch, bracing herself as the jolt of energy shot to her readied legs and sent her into a fast paced movement into the empty space before her. The black and golden laced suit she sported (the one she'd stolen a while back from a fairly high-up shop) glistened as she gradually stepped into the light of the ballroom. She turned her head away from the butler at the front of the doorway who handed out the masks of silk, immediately feeling at ease as she pulled the disguise over her features.

It wasn't like anything she'd ever seen in her life. All of the fancy and elegant dresses fluttered and swayed like colored petals in every direction, the sleek and bold ensembles of the men almost made her own outfit choice look ridiculous in comparison. It may have looked a bit old-fashioned to her, but she never would have thought it was so outdated compared to all of the others she'd seen surrounding her now. If she didn't know any better it would have made her feel foolish.

Her lilac orbs lifted to the intricate ceiling where a silvered chandelier hung suspended by beautiful gilded chains. The light from the candles in the room glinted off of their shimmering decor.

Everything seemed so…expensive. Jackpot.

Now if only she could get her hands on something she could slip in her pocket without notice. Thousands of different images flashed through her mind; possible futures and outcomes revealed themselves to her. A new life with riches and fancy clothes — certainly things that'd make ruby happy.

She was so entranced by the thought that she hadn't even noticed the way she backed into a young maiden, causing the drink in her hand to slosh up and splash down on her pink and tan skirts. Yang whirled around and was instantly drained of color. Before her stood the duchess Neo Politan, her multicolored hair pulled up in a loose bun, strands of hair delicately curling down from the butterfly shaped pin that held the follicles in place. And, from the looks of it, she was less than pleased at the blondes falter.

Yang attempted an apology, hoping it was enough to get the woman to stop from having her kicked out of the party. she raised her hands in front of her in defense. "Lady Neo, I am terribly sorry; I apologize for my lack of attention. I should have watched where i was going—"

Neo wasn't paying any attention either, not to the girl in front of her. She was much too busy brooding over her drenched shirtwaist and dress, the ones that had no doubt costed her a fortune. this young woman would pay dearly. While Yang continued to apologize, Neo lifted her free hand in dismissal, indicating to the other that she had better hush if she knew what was good for her. Meanwhile, Yang swallowed hard.

Her skirts shifted as the pink and brown haired duchess turned and began to walk up the spiraling steps tucked at the far corner of the vast chamber, all the while giving short, curiously demanding glances back at Yang. The only thing she could do now was follow behind her.

This cannot be a good sign. Why am I complying with this madness? Yang was too stubborn to admit it to herself, but Neo was more than just alluring. There was something in her eyes and her careful steps that drew the flaxen damsel to her, and though the feeling of uncertainty ebbed closer, so did the feeling of excitement and danger.

Neo led her through the halls and into a vacant room, shutting the door behind the both of them as they entered. Yang didn't know what to think, so it was more than a surprise when the baroness placed a silken gloved hand at the top of her chest, effectively shoving her toward the nearest wall and pressed her lips firmly against her own.

The sensation was enticing. it tingled through her body like lava, flooding through her veins in rivulets and sending bolts of electricity into her skin. And then, just like that, it was over. neo had drew herself back and gracefully twisted herself around as she headed to the doorway, but not before shooting yang a smug grin as she left her to her devices in the empty room. it left her body simultaneously breathless and stunned, her heart rapidly hammering against her chest as a flush painted her face while coming to terms with what had transpired within the last few moments of the hour.

A piece of paper stuck up and out of her vest pocket, and as she pulled it out and read the words her heart jumped.

_You can't fool me, darling. Rest assured I will find you again, and when I do, I can't promise that I will be so kind._

_I look forward to our next encounter._

_~Neo_


	2. A single lost rosebud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang contemplates the meaning of her meeting with the duchess herself, but soon comes to the conclusion that it might not be as simple an answer as she thinks.

Those kinds of events were ridiculous anyway. Had she really expected the dainty royal to get back to her? To fulfill the message she'd so perfectly inscribed in neat, swirled ink on that thin piece of scrap paper? That night she was too stunned to move her muscles, too stunned to move an inch from her spot, surrounded by the clutter of various expensive books that her kind were meant to read. Stilled and baffled.

And now, the same frayed message sat daringly in the palm of her hand, staring right back at her as she leaned against the cracked walls of her home – the home that had been her only sanctuary after their mother and father had left both herself and little Ruby behind. It was a tiny thing, tucked away at the edge of the town where the forest and cobblestone streets met, but in Yang's eyes it was more welcoming than any city could be. It was blocked from general view, pushed behind trees so that it would take an analytical eye to be able to spot it without much effort. It wasn't the best place for two young girls to call home, but it was enough. The rickety shack consisted of about three rooms; a living area, a bedroom, and a bathroom much too small for its own good. Ruby and Yang had decided long ago that the bedroom could be shared between them.

The wall at Yang's back supported her fully, but for some reason she still felt off balance. Sweat ran steadily down her face and dampened her hands as she looked over the tattered sliver of paper. The whole of the experience was draining her, both physically and mentally sucking her dry. Royalty or not, she thought, this shouldn't be on my mind so often. Perhaps it was because of her guilt over spilling her drink and not paying reparations for her actions, but the happenings of that day were so fresh in her mind that they played out in her head every moment she fell asleep. It was so visually accurate, so vividly interpreted that she felt she could reach her hand out and draw her fingers across the sewn-in lace on the duchess's gown. It had been a week and three days since that incident, and still, try as she might to get rid of the sour feeling that curdled in the pit of her stomach, she couldn't do a thing to will such thoughts away.

Interrupting her tiring daydreams, her small sister darted into the room, breathing heavy and escaping her mouth in sharp, panicked gasps. Yang picked herself up uneasily, tightening her fist around the parchment resting beneath her fingers and effectively crumpling it under the force.

"Y-Yang," Ruby began, looking as though she was trying much too hard to keep up with her own pace of speaking, "there a-are…some men, l-looking for you…? I don't know, but they look…well, they look like…like they mean business."

Yang cocked a brow. Men that meant business, huh? She might have owed someone in town some money, but could they really be looking for her here, right in her own house? The golden haired maid walked cautiously to the window that gave her insight to the outside, glancing around the wooded undergrowth in search for the men that her sister had described. Her gaze flicked between the surrounding trees until finally, her lilac orbs caught sight of just the people that Ruby had mentioned. There were six of them, an odd number for a normal street gang around the city area, and an even odder formation of approach. They were lined in two's, one pair right after the other, in perfect synch with each step that they took.

These were definitely no ordinary street urchins. Yang stalked to Ruby's side and before exiting the room placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as she tilted her head so her sister could hear her orders. "Rubes, I want you to hide under the bed until I get back, alright? Don't move an inch unless I say so." She looked up at her older sister, frightened at the thought of her not returning to tell her she could move. But, it was her sibling after all, and if anyone knew how to better take care of herself, it was Yang. Ruby nodded, quickly stumbling her way to the bed frame and dropping to her knees with a thud to crawl beneath it, while Yang began her ascent to the front entrance of the house. Her heart rate sped up upon arrival, her feet planting themselves to the hard wooden floor beneath.

She wasn't expecting violence; it was the last thing on her mind. The blonde was hoping for nothing more than a few simple knocks on the door, indicating that they'd made it to their destination, but what she got instead was the exact opposite. The men had charged the door, ripping it down and off of it's hinges as they entered with a force that would have nearly pushed Yang to the floor if not for the wall that she'd backed into. Her instincts barely had time to kick in and her eyes flickered up to the men that instantly charged toward their bedroom.

_Ruby!_

They weren't after Yang, and the recognition of these thoughts jolted like lightning within her body. She didn't have time to think before she acted, she didn't have time to worry about her balance anymore. Her legs wobbled as she heaved herself away from the broken interior of the house and ran shakily to the criminals that had broken in without a second thought. Whirling around the corner and swinging her fist forward, a powerful crunching noise sounded like an alarm in the air. Her knuckles had connected with the nose of one of the snakes. As he stumbled to the floor, satisfaction pumped like diesel fuel through her veins, guiding her movements further into the room. Her thoughts ran rampant, but the goal of her actions resounded loudly in her mind against all else.

This would have been a good thing, a single desire and reason to keep moving on, but it had repercussions that even Yang hadn't seen coming. The amount of men that had entered the room was approximately five – one less than she'd witnessed walking in such perfect order outside of her sanctuary. Now he stalked behind her, a stiff board in his hands. His feet shuffled, and the creaks that his feet had mad for a split second caused Yang to understand just what was going on, but her reflexes betrayed her as soon as they'd received the message to turn around. The last thing she saw was nothing more than a blur of movement, the board colliding with her head with a loud crack and an intense pain that lasted for three short seconds before her vision failed her, clouding over in a black veil of nothingness.

Yang awoke with a pounding in her head that felt like an earthquake within the contours of her skull, pulsating and convulsing with a steady rhythm that she couldn't get rid of. The boards of the floor were hard and cold against her cheek, but the thought that quivered weakly through her conscious urged her to lift her body. Her body rolled over to its right side, and with a palm placed firmly against the solid woodwork, she managed to pull herself to an upright position. Her half-lidded gaze scanned over the room and the aftershock of the events bombarded her brain with its contents; the windows were shattered, the bedding and mattress that had sat on the bed frame was dragged off and thrown precariously across the room.

She huffed, taking in short, exasperated breaths as she hauled herself to the bedside, frantic despite her dizzying condition. What she found there was yet another tattered wreckage of a note, the same twirled pink handwriting jutting out at her like a blinding light in the dark;

I assume my friends were rather rough upon their arrival? Please, do forgive me – they don't follow orders all that well. However by now, they should have done a decent job with the capture of your sister. Precious, isn't she? What's her name, Ruby Rose? I can assure you she will be well looked after under my roof. And you know what happens next, don't you? That is exactly where you can find her. It should be easy to find me; nearly everyone in the city knows where my manor is. Regardless, if you should not, I've inscribed it on the back. Oh but do come quick, Yang. You don't want to keep your darling sibling waiting.

~Neo Politan

"No…" Yang whispered under her breath, a stinging piercing her heart as the note ended with a signature she had come to know so well after the masquerade that shadowy night. After hours upon hours of waiting, hours and hours of contemplating whether or not what she had said was true, only now did she fully grasp the truth of her words; Neo Politan had certainly known everything.

She knew where Yang lived, knew that she had a sister whom she cared for dearly, had known that Yang would do anything to bring her to safety should harm ever come her way. She had her in a vice grip. Yang's adrenaline surged through her unmistakably, causing her to lurch slowly to her feet. Neo was right again – Yang knew where she lived, as did anyone who lived around the area, and that was the first place she was heading for. Her anger helped her forward, her muscles tightening at the strain of her movements while she gritted her teeth disapprovingly, making her way to the only place that mattered now.

She arrived, with much effort and a few odd looks from passerby, at two widely spread double doors and clutched the knocker in her hand tightly as she slammed it against the solid object before her. A minute passed, then two, three, until finally after a time of about five minutes passed the door creaked ajar, screeching in a low tone that sounded as if it was not happy about letting a stranger into its chambers. Yang, who was reluctant to enter, glared at the door in question. Despite being an inanimate object, it was annoying to the point that she'd wanted to slam it shut as to stop the sounds that were coming from it. Ignoring them, she stepped through the door and into the room, and as she stared around at the backdrop and the fancy chandelier that hung above her head, it struck her.

The masquerade had taken place here.

How could she have not noticed? Everything was in place just as it had been that night of her attendance, and suddenly the memories made had flooded back in full force. Before she could think, a lite tapping sound that was all too similar to the events that had taken place then drifted through the air with subtle ease. It seemed as though the room had stilled itself, not chancing a sound to match or overpower the coming of its owner except for the echo of her footsteps that bounced about the walls. Bracing herself, Yang peered up the spiral staircase that was yet another reminder of her mishaps, and was met immediately with multihued irises.

Her appearance was just as stunning and breathtaking as it had been the night of the ball, her skirts layered outward and over in a graceful display of gold, pink, and brown shades. Her bodice, laced up with a cream-colored satin and perfect decorative gold embroidery coveted her small frame and complimented her delicate features well. Her hair hung in the same loose style it had been at the ball, the tendrils gently falling just above her shoulders. A mocking grin tugged on Yang's nerves. She was so distracted by her own thoughts of awe and rage that the small, brown haired maid next to Neo had gone entirely unnoticed.

The duchess stopped in her tracks as she reached the bottom steps, then lifted her hands in a display of movements that caught Yang off guard. So the royal was mute? Had everyone else known this but her? As she stared on in confusion, Neo looked as though she'd attempted a huff of anoyance before shooting a menacing glare to her maid. The girl scrambled as Neo repeated the movements once again, allowing her to speak in a weak translation to the blonde.

"So you've come to my home looking like a street rat?"

A pain like a dagger struck Yang's side. She'd expected her to dress herself in proper attire under such strenuous circumstances? She shrugged the feeling off, scowling to emphasize her response. "Where's Ruby?" She twitched at the sound of strain, noting the crack in her voice as she urgently spoke and desperately hoped that Neo would pay it no mind. From the gleam in her eyes it looked as though she had, her smirk widening slightly, but she said nothing to indicate that she'd heard. As she moved her hands again, she cocked a brow at her guest. "Worried are you? Of course, your dear sister is safe as promised," at that Yang practically hissed; there hadn't been a promise, "but I believe we both know that that wasn't your only reason for presenting yourself to me. Come, weren't you excited at the thought of our next confrontation?" A spark glittered through her gaze, a kind of knowing shifting over them, and Yang, who was too consumed by her current mood to notice, reflected upon her motives.

Slowly and surely, as Neo had pointed out, the cold realization burst through her conscience; she was there because she wanted to be. The thoughts of Ruby were constantly pushed back by the larger thoughts of seeing her aggressor and they completely overtook her. On her way there, the anger that was currently present was replaced and shattered by an innate feeling of terrifying excitement that would let no other thought force its way through. It sickened her now, to think that she had actually forgotten her reasoning temporarily. Normally, something of that sort would never happen, but there was something about Neo, the sly, mute woman, that had snaked itself into her every concern. Yang felt her legs gradually falter, turning to pudding as she wobbled on her feet.

Her look of surprise must have truly satisfied Neo, for not a few moments later she tilted her head and began her descent toward the blonde degenerate, twisting her hands in the air and signaling for her maid to follow suit. "I have a proposal, Yang," she began, never ceasing her heated and interested gaze, "you and your sister are more than welcome to stay in my home. I'll provide you with rooms, wardrobe, etcetera – you can have everything your heart desires, and you won't have to worry about keeping a roof over poor Ruby's head..."

Yang felt the relief bubble inside of her – she'd never have to worry about food, clothing? She'd never have to worry about whether or not Ruby and herself were going to eat the week after the next. All of it, every single part, seemed way too good to be true. There had to be a catch. Yang narrowed her eyes. "And what's in it for you?"

"Ah, yes, there are repercussions to this decision, of course." Of course, Yang thought crudely. "I will require your services. You see, I'm in need of a translator..." Yang looked on between the two of them. Obviously something was wrong here. Regardless, she voiced her opinions. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't understand sign language. And why would you need me when you already have a translator?"

Neo, who had remained in her position, gave a sinister grin. "I shall find you a tutor..." The maid paused when she gave a few more hand signs, her brows knitting together in confusion. She spoke in a small, quivering voice. "Y-your ladyship...what do you mean...?" The multicolored duchess, turning on her heels, made quick gestures with her hands that Yang couldn't understand in the slightest, though if she had to guess at what she was saying, it might not have been far from actuality. The maid's eyes widened with a fear that Yang hadn't seen displayed from anyone in a very long time, and as she tried to take her leave, Neo viced her fingers through the girls hair and wretched her backward, then pulled a sleek, metal knife from her garter and sliced the front of the girls throat with one abrupt reflex.

As she released her hold on the now dead woman's hair, her body collapsed to the floor, convulsing for brief seconds before stilling. Crimson blood pooled on the linoleum floor beneath as she turned back to Yang, who had lifted a hand to her mouth in disgust and disbelief. She'd done it so swiftly, without any other thought on the matter. And, as she whirled herself around, Yang found that she didn't need any further translation for the look in her cold orbs that reflected her notion –

_The position is open._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really wanted to lengthen things after the first chapter. It will probably continue to get longer as the chapters increase.

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this in the spur of the moment and just continued from there. Hope you like it, please leave positive feedback and feel free to tell me what I should do better.


End file.
